Michelangelo's Famous Statue Of David Is A Masterpiece With A Checkered Past

The bible's King David may well have been ancestor of Jesus

, the greatest King of the ancient world and history's first Alpha Male, but his beginnings and road to greatness were far from easy.

Much like the biblical king, Michelangelo's Masterpiece, David, has a storied and checkered early history.

The Rock That Would Become a King

The enormous block of white marble that would someday become King David was actually mined and delivered to an assistant of Donatello, the sculptor, Agostino di Duccio -- some 40 plus years before Michelangelo got his hands and chisels on it.

Di Duccio also saw a David in the stone. But what it might have looked like we will never know because he stopped after working on it for 2 years claiming that the piece of marble was too difficult to work with.

Waiting for a Masterpiece

The partially completed block of marble sat around the studio until in 1474 Antonio Rossellino took a crack at it. But he too gave up after only a couple of months citing the marble's "intractability" (whatever that is.)

Then in 1501, the unlucky, almost spoiled piece of marble was finally given a chance when it feel into the hands of a 26 year old sculpting assistant by the name of Michelangelo. He predicted -- quite boldly -- that he could finish the sculpture without drastically cutting it down or adding new pieces to it.

Everyone laughed at him (I guessing ;-) )

The King Is Reborn

It took Michelangelo only 3 years to complete one of the world's great masterpieces.

His contemporaries were in awe of the piece and placed it immediately in the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio -- a place of tremendous honor.

David stood in this outdoor area in the rain and wind and totally accessible to the general public for more than 350 years. So much for the "inferior" nature of the marble.

Then in 1873 David was moved to its present home, Accademia Gallery in Florence, where it attracts many visitors everyday.

Long Live the King

David stands 5.17 meters (17 feet) tall. King indeed.

Michelangelo's Famous Statue Of David Is A Masterpiece With A Checkered Past

By: Mark Hester

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